# Don't ass-u-me... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 13, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097 "2005-04-13T05:52:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097/1 "2005-04-13T05:52:05Z")
“Don’t assume, you make an ass out of you and me” Okay, if I assume something and it turns out to be incorrect, I could make an ass out of myself. How, though, do I make an ass out of you? ---
**Author:** ![Suraya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@Suraya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suraya)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097/2 "2005-04-13T06:08:18Z")
Don’t know. They had to include the “u” _some_ way. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097/3 "2005-04-13T06:30:25Z")
I think **Suraya** ’s pretty much got it. But maybe… if I tell you what I think without making it clear that it’s an assumption, you’ll think it’s a known truth, and make an ass of yourself by thinking that. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097/4 "2005-04-13T14:02:22Z")
I’d always heard that phrase used in the news business, where management tells a reporter that she shouldn’t assume. Then it becomes fairly obvious who _you_ and _me_ are. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097/5 "2005-04-13T14:51:14Z")
Perhaps if they were to act on the assumption, the “me” in the phrase would make an idiot of himself. ::Scott is taking this too literally:: ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097/6 "2005-04-13T15:27:07Z")
Client: I’m glad I could fly in for your presentation. I look forward to doing business with you guys. Collegue 1: Thanks for taking the time. Let’s watch the video we have prepared. Collegue 1: (psst… collegue 2, where is the vcr?) Collegue 2: (i assumed we had had one here at the office.) ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097/7 "2005-04-13T16:23:19Z")
_“Don’t assume, you make an ass out of you and me”_ 1. Just a play on words: assume = ass + u + me 2. If you report to me and you make some assumption that results in a big screwup, then you and I can both be in hot water. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097/8 "2005-04-13T16:36:39Z")
Me: “Well that’s what you get when you assume, it makes an ass out of u.” (pause) Other dude: “And me.” Me: “Exactly.” It served it’s purpose when I was young. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097/9 "2005-04-13T16:51:16Z")
Okay, I’ll ask the question I hoped would be asked when I saw the thread title: Does anybody know who originally originated\* the observation (that when you **assume** , you make an **ass** out of **u** and **me** )? \*Yes, I know: that’s a redundant redundancy. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ass-u-me/299097/10 "2005-04-14T16:26:13Z")
It featured in a Benny Hill sketch in the '70s but I have no idea if it goes back further.